The Letter
by Angel From Above Is Here
Summary: Helen writes Nikola a letter. It leads to them having a very interesting conversation and some changes in both of their lives. But what kind of changes? And will it all last? How will the others respond? Read to find out!
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hi, my dear readers! I have to say I absolutely love this pair, they were incredible in the series. I just hope I managed to do them justice! Please let me know what you thought of my work. Even if you didn't like it. If you tell me why, you might like the next story I write. Constructive criticism is greatly appreciated. As are reviews. Both may even be rewarded with cookies!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. If I did, there'd be a fifth season coming.**

**1**

The room was dark when Nikola entered it. That came as no surprise; he had blown out the candles before he left and there was by now nothing left of the roaring fire, not even smoldering embers. It was, after all, nearly eleven in the evening already.

He walked towards the fireplace, picked up some wood and set about trying to bring new life to the dead fire.

"Honestly, central heating would be preferable," he muttered to himself as he watched the dry wood being licked by the flames he had just created.

It wasn't that Nikola didn't enjoy the romantic, homely setting the fire created; he simply didn't like having to tend to it. He preferred being able to let his mind roam without having to worry about going cold. Not that he had really known cold after the Source Blood; it was more of a leftover from the years that he had been susceptible to the cold.

But tonight, he would not allow his mind to roam freely. He had been preoccupied by a certain woman these last few weeks, even more so than normally. He wanted to read and take his mind off of her so that he could stop tormenting himself with the images of what would never be.

As he sat down on the sofa and reached for the book he had left on the small table, he noticed there was a letter laying on top of the cover. A letter bearing the name of the very woman he was trying not to think about. Helen Magnus.

"Really, life is not fair at all," he groaned whilst picking the letter up.

He turned it over in his hands a few times, trying to figure out whether it would be a good idea to read it. Helen obviously had something to say and it might be important. On the other hand, she would have spoken to him personally if this was important, would she not?

The vampire sighed; he should read the letter. He would be seeing Helen tomorrow and she might ask him about it. And it would not do to have to admit that he had no clue as to what the content was.

With his eyes closed, he opened the envelope. When he finally looked at the letter, the first sentence immediately made it impossible to tear his eyes away from it.

My dearest Nikola,

time has gone by so fast for us lately. For all of us. There has barely been any chance to breathe with everything that happened. The difficult decisions that needed to be made prevented us from getting much sleep, we were all focusing on trying to protect the Sanctuary.

But despite the rapid passing of time we have all learned something important during these last few months. James learned to accept his mortality before he passed away; Clara learned to embrace her powers with Will's help; Will learned that living without opening your heart to others is impossible; Henry learned that being a HAP does have its advantages; Kate learned being part of the good side has its perks; John finally managed to get a handle on his condition, with your help; I learned to live without my father and am beginning to see that I can live on without my daughter as long as I remember she will always be in my heart.

But what have you learned, I wonder? I must admit I overheard your conversation with William a while back. Or rather, the part of the conversation concerning love. You said that you recognize love for what it is: an irrational, self-destructive impulse which is disguised as joy.

Is that what you learned? If it is, I am sad to hear it. You see, I still believe in love, Nikola. Despite my experience with John I still believe love is so much more than something that ultimately leads to pain. Ashley taught me that. The way she loved me, the way she loved Henry from the second she laid eyes on him, it all reminded me that love can heal. That it can lead to great joy.

Which is why I am writing this letter to you. You said you love me, that you have done so since we met in Oxford. I wanted to tell you that I feel the same way about you. I closed off my heart after John broke it and after having to bury so many people that I care about. But that stops now. I am taking this chance. The only question, Nikola, is whether you will accept my offer. My offer to be with me, to be the other half of me. To let me be with you, to let me be the other half of you.

Take your time in making your decision. Seek me or anyone else out should you desire to talk about this. I will be waiting.

Yours if you will have me,

your Helen.

Despite not usually being overly emotional, Nikola felt the slight burning of a tear forming in the corner of his eye. For a century he had wished to hear Helen say these words to him, to tell him that she loved him. And now she had, even if she hadn't spoken the words exactly.

Before he knew what he was doing, he was out of the sofa. He needed to be with Helen, he needed to tell her that he loved her again and hear her repeat those words to him. He was done waiting. If it hadn't been for Druitt he would have spoken up at Oxford, he had lost so many years already.

In less than a second he had made it into the hallway. Trusting his instinct, he walked towards the corner on the left hand side of the corridor. Helen would most likely be in her rooms; it was late already, and she could usually be found working on her laptop in her bed at this time of night. It was her way of preventing Will Zimmerman from complaining that she did not take enough rest.

However, his journey was not quite as uneventful as he would have liked. As he turned the corner, he collided with Henry. The HAP groaned almost inaudibly at the harsh contact, the vampire gritted his teeth to keep from doing the same. Although in his case it had nothing to do with discomfort and everything with annoyance.

"Do watch where you're going," Nikola eventually managed to bring out, barely succeeding in sounding somewhat polite.

"Will do," Henry said breathlessly. "Jeez, you are one hard man to run into. Don't want that to happen every again."

Nikola couldn't help it. He laughed at Henry's words. The younger man looked at him, one of his eyebrows raised so high it almost reached his hairline. Nikola shook his head.

"No one ever said that to me before," he grinned. "I'll remember it. Now, I'll be off. And don't worry, Henry; it was as much my fault as it was yours. I wasn't looking where I was going either."

He felt Henry's eyes burn holes into the back on his head when he brushed past him and disappeared down the hallway. He knew he had acted out of sort just now, that Henry had been expecting at least a reprimand for being that friendly towards him. But the truth was, most of his annoyance was merely a façade put in place not to let people get too close. And he did like Henry, he was intelligent and sweet. Not that he would ever tell the Hyper Accelerated Protean that, of course.

The trip to Helen's rooms did not take him long after that. Had he been in any less of a good mood, Nikola would have marveled at how ironic it was that time had seemingly sped up now after passing by so slowly when he thought she could never love him. As it was, the irony was lost on him.

He knocked on the door, his heart beating nervously above the millions of butterflies that were dancing around in his stomach.

"Come in," came Helen's voice from inside.

The smell of her was everywhere when he entered. It was always difficult not to reach out and touch her when he was near her because of it, a mixture of roses and Helen herself. Here, it was even more powerful, strong enough to make him lightheaded.

He shook his head to clear it and noticed she was not in her living room. He called out to let her know who was there.

"Helen, it's me. I've read your letter," he informed her.

All was silent for the space of a heartbeat. Then, he heard her rise from her bed and begin to move through her bedroom.

"I'll be there in a second. Make yourself comfortable in the meantime," she told him through the still closed door.

Nikola unceremoniously dropped down on the couch. The blanket draped over the side indicated that she had recently spent the night in front of the fire, which reminded him of nights long past. Nights filled with conversations about science, John Druitt and dreams of the future.

He had no more time to dwell on those thoughts further, because Helen appeared. She was wearing a comfortable top and sweater above a comfortable pajama bottom. Why she wasn't wearing the matching upper part was a mystery to Nikola, yet he did not ask her. There were more important questions to ask.

"We need to talk," she said without introduction or hesitation.

"Indeed we do," he agreed, taking the liberty to gesture towards the empty space at his right side.

Smiling, Helen sat down beside him. Whether it was voluntarily or subconsciously, her hand settled so close to his that he could feel the heat of it. Immediately, his instincts told him to take it between his, to hold onto it whilst they had this conversation. Yet he refrained; he needed to concentrate, and if he was touching any part of her he would not be able to do that.

"Where would you like to start?" Helen asked him.

"Would you have said anything if the situation had been any different? If Ashley and James were still alive?" he questioned, his voice soft and un-judging.

Her answer was fast; there was no hesitation before she spoke, the words tumbling from her lips without any difficulty whatsoever.

"Yes," she said. "I love you. At first I denied it because I was to marry John, but I soon realized I would not be able to fight the attraction between us forever. For a century, though, I succeeded, unexpectedly. Albeit barely. Now, John is gone. I have found my peace with the past. And with you holding me as I cried after Ashley's memorial service, I remembered something she said when she was only fifteen."

Nikola listened attentively. Helen was being more open than she had ever been, she was showing him a tremendous amount of trust. He would not betray that trust, not this time. He would not be a fool again.

"She asked me whether I would ever fall in love again. I told her I probably would, but that even after all those years I was still hurting over her father's death. She cocked her head at me then and said that she hoped I would find you again, as she had noticed I was always staring at that ridiculously old picture of you I have when I thought no one was looking," Helen said.

Nikola smiled at that, allowing his fingers to lightly curl around hers. He knew which picture she was speaking of, the one taken by her on a sunny day in a deserted part of a Norwegian forest.

"I still have your picture, too," he admitted. "I always carried it with me wherever I went. It made me feel a little less lost on my journeys."

Helen intertwined their fingers at his words, blushing a little. It was a sight seldom seen and Nikola enjoyed it immensely. It reminded him of days long past, days spent in the parks and gardens of London.

Before he had the time to think on that any longer, Helen rested her head against his shoulder. Instinctively, his arm snaked around her to hold her protectively. His hand came to lightly rest over her abdomen. The sigh she breathed told him she was as pleased as he was with the change in their relationship.

"I love you, Nikola Tesla," she whispered.

Nikola lifted his free hand to tilt her face to his and bent his head towards hers. It was testimony to how much she trusted the vampire that her eyes did not open.

"I love you, too, Helen Magnus," he breathed against her lips before capturing them in a gentle kiss.

When they parted, she opened her eyes. They were twinkling with happiness, as his undoubtedly were as well. He brushed his thumb over Helen's bottom lip, still not quite believing he was finally holding her.

"We should go to bed," she murmured, tugging at his hand and trying to get off the couch.

Nikola felt a small, painful tug at his heart at that suggestion. Now that they had finally come together after all these long, lonesome years, he was unwilling to let go of her this quickly again.

But he stood up anyway, letting her pull him to his feet. There was no point in staying if she was too tired. He would, of course, like to watch her sleep should she permit it. But he was not sure she would be able to sleep at all with anyone in the room with her, not after what John and so much time spent alone had done to her.

He was, to say the least, very surprised when she did not lead him to the door of her rooms but tugged him along through the door of her bedroom.

"Helen, what are you doing?" he asked, not even attempting to mask his confusion.

"I'm going to bed. It is eleven thirty already and it has been a long day. And I was hoping you would be joining me," she told him.

He stopped dead in his tracks. She turned around, letting go of his hand as she did so. She made up for it by taking the few steps necessary to bridge the distance between them. He rested his hands on her waist.

"I was not proposing to make love, Nikola. I was merely suggested you hold me while we sleep. I am tired of falling asleep and waking up alone. And there is no one else I would rather have in my bed than you," she admitted.

He relaxed. He knew it was a ridiculous thought after their one hundred year flirt, but he did not want to pressure her into taking things too quickly.

"I like that idea. However, there is one problem. You are dressed for bed. I am not. And unless you want me to sleep in my underwear, you will have to let go of me so I can collect a pair of pajamas," he told her.

For the second time that evening, the great Helen Magnus could not fight the blush appearing on her cheeks. She averted her eyes, which told Nikola she was a little ashamed of what she was about to say.

"There's two pairs of your pajamas on the top shelf of the right hand side of my closet. I found them in the laundry a couple of weeks ago, and even despite having been washed, they smelled like you. I've been sleeping in one of those t-shirts since that day," she admitted.

Nikola couldn't help it. He laughed at that. Before she could think he was laughing at her, she pulled her as close to him as was physically possible and pressed a kiss to her lips.

"I'll use the second set, then," he said. "And feel free to use whatever t-shirt of mine you'd like. Or make that whatever piece of clothing of mine. I like the thought of you wearing my clothing, however strange that may sound."

Helen smiled at those last words, shaking her head.

"It is not strange, Nikola. Your sense of smell might not be as good as, for example, Henry's, but you do smell things a little better than a human. You would be able to catch my sent in your clothing and thus feel closer to me," she said.

They fell silent then, Helen motioning him towards the closet as she finally let go of him to walk over to the other side of the room. He stood motionless for a second, watching as she bent down and picked up a hastily discarded green t-shirt.

Without caring that he was there, Helen lifted her arms to take of the pullover she was wearing. Nikola decided he had done enough staring for one night right before she was to reveal her bra and simply turned to the closet to slip into his pajamas. There would be more than enough time to discover what Helen wore beneath her clothes.

Once they were both finished, Helen turned towards him and held out her hand. He walked over to where she was standing beside the bed and took it.

"Go on, get in," he gently ordered.

She did as she was told, which was as rare as the blushing he had seen her do before. As soon as she was settled, he slipped in behind her. He tugged her flush against him, planning on burying his nose in her soft, brown curls and holding her like that the entire night.

Helen, however, had other plans. She turned around, swinging her leg over his hip and resting her head on his arm as if it was a pillow. With the comforters tucked around them, it was warm and comfortable. Their own little fortress.

"Good night, my dear," he whispered in her ear, pressing a kiss to her forehead.

"Good night to you too, darling," she whispered in return, reaching up to touch her lips to his cheek.

After that, they did no longer speak. They simply held each other and slept, content to be close to each other and begin their life together.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Here is the second chapter! I hope you'll like to read it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Let me know what you think, even if you hated it. Reviews make my day. Constructive criticism is greatly appreciated.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything. If I did, I'd be rich.**

**2**

Helen eyed the remaining paperwork on her desk. Even though half of it was by now done, there was still a significant pile she had to sort through. Granted, most of it needed nothing but her signature. Yet that did not stop her from wanting to strangle Will. He really needed to start filling out his paperwork sooner.

As she reached for the cup of tea on her left side, she found that it was cold. Even her afternoon tea had been forgotten between signing paperwork, filling out forms and reading up on patient histories.

"This is simply marvelous," she muttered under her breath, not hiding her annoyance as there was no one there to notice it.

Pushing back her chair, she rose. The muscles in her back protested, making it very clear she had spent too much time hunched over her desk. She ignored them, though. It wasn't the first time she had put in too many hours, and it certainly wouldn't be the last. How else was she supposed to run not only her Sanctuary in Old City but the entire Sanctuary Network?

When she stepped into the hallway, it was exceptionally quiet. There was not the fainted cry or howl from any Abnormal, the Big Guy was nowhere to be seen and Kate, Henry and Will weren't around either. Even her beloved vampire was not hanging around waiting for her to show up.

A part of her had hoped that he would be. Nikola always managed to make her laugh. Well, maybe not always, but very often. And he would at least have been able to distract her.

Helen smiled at that thought. In the two months that they had been together now, Nikola had managed to distract her more than once. Meetings were never boring when a certain slightly mad scientist was drawing patterns on your thigh, and focusing on paperwork when he was talking about his newest idea for an invention was impossible, after all.

Fortunately, his presence had so far not caused too many problems. He had succeeded in not blowing up the lab so far, and he even had the courtesy to offer Henry a helping hand on some of the most difficult tasks the young man had faced so far. He had even done a few of the midnight and two A.M feedings, which had earned him points with Kate and Henry. So they had accepted his presence and his new status as partner of their boss after a few weeks.

The only one who was not too happy about their changed relationship, was Will. He had never been too fond of Nikola, claiming that he always had an ulterior motive, no matter what the vampire claimed. She knew Will simply didn't want her to get hurt, but she was a little angry at him for not even giving Nikola a proper chance. He exited the room whenever Nikola entered, and during meals he refused to speak to him.

She shrugged. It might still blow over. At least, she hoped it would. Because she was not planning on letting either one of them leave the Sanctuary without a fight. And loathe as she was to admit it, if Will made her choose between him and Nikola, she would certainly choose Nikola.

Coming to a sudden stop, she realized her feet had carried her to the kitchen. Probably because of her desire for tea. As she was about to step in, though, Nikola called out to her, making her spin around.

"Good afternoon, Helen," he smiled at her.

His arms were full of what looked like a present, neatly wrapped in old-fashioned brown paper. And his coat was covered in tiny snowflakes. The sight was adorable, but she would never tell him that.

"Hello, yourself," she smiled. "Where did you get that? And how long had it been snowing?"

"So many questions," he teased, passing her to step into the kitchen. "In answer to your first, the shops in the heart of the city. In answer to your second question, it has been snowing since eleven o'clock this morning. As it is now three in the afternoon, that makes four hours. Plenty of time to leave a nice, thick blanket of snow."

Helen followed him into the kitchen, sitting down on one of the chairs at the table when he gestured for her to do so. As soon as she was comfortably installed, he handed her the present. She cocked an eyebrow in question.

"It's for you, love," he explained.

Intrigued, she began to pull at the strings around the paper. They gave way easily enough, and she was soon picking at the tape. It did not come off very fast, but she did not want to resort to simply tearing the paper away. Fortunately, the tape gave in before her patience did.

"It isn't my birthday, you do know that, don't you?" she asked before she removed the final layer separating her from the content.

He nodded but did not speak as he waved for her to have a look at what he'd bought. Her curiosity more than peaked, she obeyed without any fuss.

There were four things on top of the papers laying on the table; a white shawl, a white hat, a pair of white gloves and a blue coat. She fingered the pieces of clothing, knowing without having to look that they would fit her perfectly.

"I wanted to take you outside the moment it started to snow. I know you've always liked the snow. And then I figured you needed some new clothes to go outside with. Not that you don't have any, I've seen your closet, but because we've started something new," he admitted.

She smiled, getting up and stepping into his embrace. She brought her lips up for a kiss, which he granted, hoping it would tell him everything he needed to know and that she was failing to put into words.

"Then let me get these on so you can take me outside," she said as they broke apart.

He stepped away to give her some space and Helen immediately slid into the coat. It was comfortable, warm and, as she had predicted, a perfect fit. Then, she slipped the hat, shawl and gloves on.

"You look absolutely stunning," he told her with absolute sincerity, holding out his hand.

She took it, noticing that Nikola was only wearing a slightly thicker coat. He was no longer very susceptible to the cold, so it didn't come as a surprise. The coat was green, but a very dark shade that bordered on black.

"You don't look half bad yourself," she told him truthfully.

He smiled, beginning to move towards the door. She allowed him to lead her to whatever destination he had in mind, not even attempting to get it out of him; if Nikola wanted to surprise her, she would let him. She quite enjoyed the idea, to be completely honest.

Again, the absence of the other inhabitants of the building struck her as Nikola led her through the halls towards the back entrance. There was a bit of worry mingled in there by now as well; what if something had happened during the hours she had spent cooked up in her study?

"Nikola, where is everyone?" she asked, biting her bottom lip because she felt like she was spoiling a perfectly good moment.

"The Big Guy's rooms. Kate thought an afternoon of board games and the likes was the perfect way to get settled more firmly into the group. And the others agreed. They met up at noon," he told her, taking her hand to squeeze it reassuringly before letting go again.

Se breathed out rather roughly, glad they had not found themselves in trouble unnoticed during her absence. And she was glad to hear that Kate was actively seeking to find her place in the already existent team. She had no doubt the young woman would fit in nicely, and she hoped she would find some friends here soon.

She leaned into her lover instinctively when he pushed the oak doors open, hiding from the first bite of the cold. Nikola tucked her shawl a little more firmly around her as she did so, but did not complain about her being closer.

As soon as they stepped into the snow, Helen bent down to touch the white substance. Nikola had been right; there was a deep blanket of it everywhere, and snowflakes were still tumbling from the pine trees at the edge of the garden whenever the wind shook them. It was a beautiful sight to behold, almost like a fairy tale.

Suddenly, she was pulled out of her thoughts when a snowball hit her lower back. She spun around rapidly, taking enough snow with her to form her own ball. It flew out of her hand so fast she managed to hit Nikola on his side.

"Let's see whether you can do that again," he challenged before scooping up more snow, a wicked gleam in his eyes.

And Helen rose to the challenge. She threw snowballs, was hit by them and dodged them. Her laughter rang through the chilly air as she ran around. Her cheeks and nose were red from the cold, but she was happier than she had been in a long time.

"Oh, Helen, I did not know you had such a bad aim," Nikola grinned as she threw another snowball at him and he used his superior speed to avoid being hit.

Instead of taking the effort to make another ball and throwing it, she did something unexpected; she ran towards him. Before he had the time to notice what was going on, she had tackled him to the ground.

Nikola wasn't about the stay down, though. He immediately caught her around the middle and pushed her into the snow, placing himself on top of her. Her breath caught in her throat for a moment because of the cold. That didn't last long, though, as she grabbed a hand full of snow and pushed it down Nikolas shirt.

What she hadn't expected him to do, was reciprocate; but he did. She was given the same treatment, which made her giggle, laugh and shiver at the same time. Nikola apparently found it very amusing, because he burst out laughing as well.

"Come on. You should change and take a shower. As much as I like playing in the snow, I don't want you to freeze," he grinned after they had stopped laughing long enough to catch their breath.

Helen nodded in agreement. She might have been given the gift of longevity, that did not mean she could not get ill or cold. So she took the hand he offered as soon as he had gotten up.

"You should come with me, you know, join me in the shower. Skin on skin contact is the best way to ward of hypothermia," she said.

Her tone was neutral as she spoke, not wanting to make it seem as if she was forcing him into doing something he might not want to do. But the way his lips curled told her he would not deny her offer.

"Lead the way," was all he said.

And that, she did. Without making a single stop, she pulled him towards her rooms as fast as she could without running. The idea of warm water was appealing, and the thought of Nikola joining her was equally enjoyable.

Finally, they had arrived. She shed her coat whilst stepping inside, Nikola following her example. Taking the garment from her, he draped it on the hanger while she took of her hat and gloves.

She pulled her scientist with her to the bathroom, closing the door as soon as they were inside. When she brought up her hands to unbutton her blouse, Nikola's eyes fixed on them, intent on following her every move. She let him, removing all of her clothing slowly and dropping it to the floor unceremoniously. Goosebumps appeared on her skin as her fingers softly trailed along the path of skin she revealed.

When she was ready, she stepped towards him and lifted her hands to remove his shirt. She pressed her lips to the spot right behind his ear as she undid the first button, her fingers dancing butterfly-light along his skin, followed by her lips and tongue. A sneaky peek revealed that Nikola's eyes were now closed and when she kneeled to remove his pants, the bulge she found there told her exactly why. His sharp intake of breath was clearly audible when she lightly traced it with her finger. Not wanting things to end too soon, she pushed his dark pants down. He took the cue and toed of his shoes and sock so he could step out of his pants.

Helen pulled Nikola's arms around her before moving them both towards the shower, turning in his embrace to kiss him with all she had as they waited for the water to heat.

She pushed herself flush against him, bringing out another moan as her pelvis came to rest against his. Nikola tangled his hand in her hair, nibbling at her bottom lip. This coaxed a moan from her in return.

She finally tore her lips from his, tugging him along with her and stepping underneath the spray of water. She groaned as the warmth hit her, enjoying the difference with the cold from before.

She hadn't noticed her eyes had closed until she felt Nikola's hand on her side and they opened. She made to turn, but he held her still.

"It's my turn now," he whispered lowly, brushing her hair over one shoulder.

She shivered, but this time it was not from the cold. It was from anticipation. Nikola's touches had made her feel as if electricity was pulsating under her skin for as long as she could remember, but this time the touches would be different. And she would not stop him as she had before.

"Rest your hands against the wall," he instructed softly.

She obeyed. As soon as he was satisfied, she felt the touch of a washcloth covered in foam press against the back of her neck. She hummed as he began to move it in intricate patterns, not missing a single inch of skin. His touch was slowly starting a fire in her, which even intensified when Nikola began to kiss and nip at her skin.

Despite the fact he now possessed more than a few vampiric character traits, she did not mind. Nikola would never intentionally hurt her, he would remove himself from her surroundings should he fear not being able to control himself. So as long as he did not bite down too hard, she was willing to let him play.

"Turn around," Nikola ordered now, his accent far more present and the arousal in his voice very audible.

As soon as she did, Nikola backed her into the wall. The washcloth returned, beginning at her neck again and working its way down. When Nikola reached her breasts, he urged her to tip her head so he could kiss her as he caressed, pressed and pinched.

Helen's knees were giving way by that time. The only thing keeping her up was Nikola's firm grip on her waist.

"Your hands really are amazing," she managed to breath out eventually.

"You don't know half of what I can do with them," he said devilishly, the words sending shivers through her and making her moan.

She did not have the time to say anything as his fingers travelled towards her center. The washcloth was nowhere to be found anymore. She shifted, making more room for him, letting him know she really did want this. And Nikola slid one finger inside of her.

Her mouth dropped open in a silent 'oh' at the sensation, her head tipping back to rest against the wall. The friction was marvelous, the pressure divine. But it was not enough just yet.

"More, Nikola… Please," she begged him breathlessly.

He slid another finger inside of her, growling with her as she arched her back away from the wall. He expertly stroked her higher and higher, adding his thumb to trace circles around the bundle of nerves between her labia.

Helen did not last long after that. She was pushed over the edge by one last stroke of his agile fingers, his name tumbling from her lips breathily, as some sort of prayer.

As she came down from her high, she found that Nikola was tenderly holding her, his hands not moving against her skin. She was grateful that he was not assaulting her senses any further; after the experience she had just had, she was too sensitive to appreciate it.

He did shift, though, when her breathing had finally returned to normal. He rested his head against hers, his hand catching hers gently, making her smile. She pulled him closer, feeling his desire press against her as she did.

"Let's get out of this shower so I can help you with that," she grinned, the wicked gleam back in her eyes as she closed her hand around him for the briefest moment.

Nikola positively growled at those words, which made her usher him out of the shower and into her bedroom even faster.

"Lay down," she ordered softly.

As she had done before, the vampire followed the order straight away. She positioned herself between his spread legs, leaning over him to kiss his lips. She moved down his body, pausing at his nipples to make him moan and tangle his hands in her hair.

Knowing that Nikola's patience had already been tried, she decided that all of the playing they had done before would more than qualify as foreplay. She appeared to be right, as Nikola shifted slightly, pushing her further down.

"Alright," she said, conceding to a question he had never even had to ask.

And she took him into her mouth. His hips would have risen from the bed had she not had the foresight to place her hands over them to hold them to it. She licked, sucked and hummed around him, making him writhe beneath her.

She loved how he mewled when she took him deeper than she had before, but was equally surprised when she felt a sharp tug at her hair. Looking up, she cocked an eyebrow at Nikola.

"If you do not want me to come in your mouth, you should switch to using your hands. I'm too close to give a second warning."

His voice was low, his eyes nearly black. But this wasn't the vampire, it was very much Nikola. Only very much aroused. Helen would normally make her partner climax by hand, yet seeing Nikola like this made her doubt.

Eventually, she slid up his body, pressing her lips to his as she began to pump him. His tongue begged entrance, which she granted. Soon enough, Nikola went rigid as he came, murmuring her name.

Helen allowed him a few minutes to calm, but then left the bed. Nikola did not speak, tough he did reach for her. When she returned with a washcloth, however, realization dawned. He took it from her to clean her abdomen and nether regions, and she did the same for him.

They stayed in bed until it was time for dinner. When they sat down to eat, the young ones told Helen all about their afternoon in the Big Guy's rooms. They laughed, teasing each other as they told the story. It made her smile, which made Nikola squeeze her hand beneath the table.

"And what have you been up to?" Will asked her.

"I played in the snow," she smiled, sharing a knowing look with her vampire.

Will did not ask anything more. He simply nodded his head and allowed the corners of his mouth to curl a little.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: I'm so sorry it took me a little longer to add this new chapter. Real life just kept getting in the way, I'm afraid. But here it is now. I hope you'll enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed reading it. Let me know what you thought, even if you hated it. Constructive criticism is greatly appreciated.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. If I did, I'd have more money.**

**3**

Nikola was getting more annoyed with every second that passed. At the other side of the hallway there was a terrible commotion. The Big Guy was threatening to forcefully take down one of two Abnormals who were arguing, despite his genteel nature. Both of the other Abnormals were utter threats of their own.

As always, young William was trying to intermediate, telling Helen's hirsute friend that they had not meant to break his pan and spill the content on the floor; it had merely been an accident.

"It's not about the pan, ah!" the Big Guy growled. "I just think they should help, ah, to do the cleanup!"

"Oh yeah? Well, you shouldn't leave your food standing on the edge of the table. Doing the cleanup serves you right for being so stupid," the female Abnormal screeched.

Helen would not be pleased to hear this Abnormal had insulted the Big Guy. For a third of her long life he had been by her side, he was as much a part of her family as Henry and Will were and Ashley had been. As he now was. She would certainly not let this slide.

"Guys, please. Stop arguing and clean the kitchen together. If you keep shouting like this, Magnus will definitely hear you. And I will not be hauling any of your sorry asses out of trouble. And yes, that does include you, Big Guy!" Will rather angrily said now, clearly beginning to lose his patience.

Nikola was more than a little glad to hear the psychiatrist say that. Helen would not appreciate someone she viewed as a friend, perhaps even a son, taking the side of the ones who had hurt another member of her small family. The boy was more intelligent than he had so far given him credit for.

Granted, Will could hardly be called a boy. He was over thirty years old and very capable of taking care of himself, making his own decisions and living with the consequences. Then again, for a one hundred and sixty year old vampire it was difficult not to see everyone around them as children. After all, that is what they were in comparison.

Nikola was pulled out of his thoughts when Will finally snapped and raised his voice. The sound was unexpected, both to him and to the three Abnormals in the hallway, as far as he could tell.

"Enough! I'm sick of this! If you want to keep screaming at each other, and if you want to keep threatening each other, go ahead! But I'm going to my rooms. And don't you dare come talk to me until this is settled. If you can at least be mature enough long enough to settle this," he hurled at them.

Nikola could clearly hear his footsteps stumping through the hallway, passing his door as the young man walked towards his own chambers.

The Abnormals seemed rather unimpressed as the shouting match began again. Nikola growled; they were very much ruining his plans of spending an uneventful day in peace until Helen returned to his chambers or summoned him to hers so they might enjoy each other's company for the evening.

Sighing, he realized there was only one option left. He had to leave these rooms if he wanted to escape the ruckus. If he stayed, he would be too worked up to have any type of conversation with Helen, and he would only end up annoying her. Which was all kinds of a bad idea; an annoyed Helen was very difficult to handle.

He also did not want to burden her with having to deal with him being annoyed; he was very aware of the fact she would succeed in brightening his mood, but it would take her a long time. She shouldn't have too, either. Nikola was a grown man, he could deal with his annoyance himself.

The vampire pushed open the door, careful to do so slowly and quietly. If he succeeded in making his escape unseen, there was a very good chance of not being dragged into this mess. At this moment in time, that was really all that mattered.

Fortunately, Nikola had more than enough experience with sneaking around to warrant no one would notice him leaving his rooms. He gathered it in different ways, that much is certain. Sneaking around to be the only one to really surprise Helen on her birthday, sneaking around to find out as much as possible about the movements of the troops before D-Day. He sneaked around her bedroom to gain inspiration during her time with John. He sneaked through mud and dirt to save her. It was times like these when the experience came in very useful.

A quick peak around the corner revealed a rather strange woman and her husband standing there; their skin was a soft grey, though their hair was a bright red. They looked stunning in their own way, the vampire had to admit.

"Alright, will you finally let it rest if we promise to be more careful in the future?" the female fumed.

He could hear the Big Guy growl inhumanly even at that distance. There was no doubt that he would never truly hurt either one of the other Abnormals, but Nikola thought Helen's old friend might be struggling more than he had ever had to do to refrain from forcefully shoving them into the kitchen.

"I will not! Ah! Take the cloth and head for the kitchen!" was the response, delivered quickly and in such a way there was no misunderstanding it.

In all honestly, Nikola could have waited to find out whether the Big Guy would be able to drive them towards the kitchen before leaving his rooms. As it was, he simply enjoyed the challenge.

Before even half a minute had passed, he was already safe and far around the corner. And he didn't even look as if he had just changed into his vampiric half and used his far superior speed to get out of the hallway. He grinned; life was very good at the Sanctuary these days.

There was only one slight things that dampened Nikola's spirits. The question where to go. Helen's rooms were a possibility, it was where he felt most at home. Her office was out of the question, as she was working. The kitchen would do, he could even have a snack there.

But despite Helen's rooms having become their rooms after almost three months of being together, he liked them better when she was there with him. Her office would be better in that respect, though he wouldn't go there for fear of keeping her from her work. And the kitchen, despite its content of food, did not hold the promise he had at first hoped, as he was not at all hungry.

"Alright, then. Another room it is. But which one? There are so many rooms here. Where to start?" he wondered aloud to himself, not scared anyone would hear.

In the end, he decided to just walk around until he reached a door that looked promising. Or, well, felt promising. The damned doors all looked the same so there was no point in using the visual aspect to make his choice.

His trip brought him down a few flights of stairs first. The residential levels did not hold much places of interest, or at least so it seemed to his feet as they led him on a journey further away. A journey which ended temporarily before Sally's tank. He greeted the mermaid with a wave of his hand when she appeared.

It has been long since I've seen you. Are you well? She asked, her words holding genuine interest. Strange as it was to hear her speak without seeing her move her lips, Nikola was grateful for her desire to have a conversation.

"I'm very well," he told her honestly. "Which is why I've been staying here for so long. It seems I have finally managed to settle in somewhat."

Those last words were followed by a grin, which Sally mirrored with one of her own. She was one cocky mermaid, and if Nikola hadn't known her for a while already, he might have been surprised.

I know you are. This whole place has been breathing happiness for months now, a big difference with the busyness and distress I often feel wafting of the inhabitants. Today, though, there in something else in the air. Would that have anything to do with you? She questioned.

"It does not have anything to do with me, thanks for asking," Nikola huffed indignantly. He quickly explained to Sally what was going on. As soon as she heard about his desire to find a calm, quiet place, she came up with a suggestion.

Maybe you should come into the water, have a swim. Helen claims it is comforting, soothing and calming. And I enjoy having someone to swim with. Sally's eyes twinkled brightly as she spoke.

"I think I'll pass this time, my friend. I was hoping to find a less active way of whiling away the hours until Helen finishes her work for the day," he admitted.

Sally's head fell to one side thoughtfully, her seaweed-like hair tumbling over a graceful yet incredibly strong shoulder and arm.

Then I suggest a visit to the library. Reading, I've heard, is quite an enjoyable pastime which requires no real active involvement. Simply the ability to lose yourself in a story. Much like what we do when our elders tell us stories, Sally said.

It was an excellent idea he would never have been able to come up with on his own. Helen's library was filled with the oldest, newest, weirdest and everything-in-between sort of books anyone could ever hope to find. And there were actually a few of them he would very much like to read.

"I will take that piece of advice," he conceded.

Sally looked at him smugly when he said that, which made him believe for the umpteenth time that she had been coercing Helen to swim with her far too many times over the years. She did not speak anymore, though, choosing to swim toward the end of the tank as her farewell, a solitary image of her pressing her lips to his cheek, reached him as she showed him her back.

Helen had warned him during his first stay after Sally's arrival that she was quite different than the mer-people her father's books told them about. She had explained that Sally could be very open and honest, and that he'd best be aware of it should he find himself close enough to her to speak to her. But it did seem she had forgotten to mention all Sally had learned from her.

Nikola retraced his steps in part, thinking about the rather extensive collection of Serbian books his lover owned. He had to admit he sometimes missed being able to speak Serbian; it was, after all, his mother tongue. And despite Helen's vast knowledge of languages, she did not speak Serbian.

The day he had discovered the first book in Serbian, a very old collection of poems, he had taken it to his rooms. Despite it being nearly ten years since that day, he still remembered how awed he had been; how softly and reverently he had touched the pages. Helen had caught him when he returned the book at what was supposed to be the end of his one week stay. She had asked him to translate some of the poems.

Of course, he had granted her that wish. There was very little she could ask of him that he would not do. Before he left, he had slipped a translation of the first three poems under her door, neatly written down.

He suddenly wondered where those pages had gone. Had she stored them somewhere private, perhaps her rooms? Were they in the library? It was probably more than worth having a look. If he did not find them between the books, he might even ask her where they were simply to have another look at them.

Though, now that he came to think of it, the best thing to do would be to find both the book and the papers. That way, he could finish what he'd started a decade ago. It would be quite interesting to see Helen's reaction once she figured out what he was doing. He thought she would rather like it.

Apparently, he had been consumed by his thoughts for some time, as he found himself in front of the library door without having any recollection of his journey. Really, he scoffed, Helen is too distracting for her own good. Or mine, for that matter.

The library was as silent as ever. It was deserted, though, which was rare. Usually there was at least one of the young ones doing some research in the old volumes, but now, he was there alone.

Immediately, he moved towards the bookshelves to his left.

"If I remember correctly…" he mused, the words spilling from his lips loud enough for him to heard but inaudible to a human's ears.

He never made it more than one step in the right direction, though. Will burst into the room before he could move any further, accompanied by a still very foul mood. The young man only noticed him when he was a scant half an inch away from him and Nikola called out to avoid being hit.

"Oh!" Will stuttered, eyes widening to an almost comical extent. He stared at Nikola wordlessly for a minute before he added: "I didn't know you would be here."

The vampire waved his hand in acceptance of the words, showing the younger man he wasn't about to yell at him. During this last week, Will had finally been a little less cold towards him. It wouldn't do to go back to fighting a silent war when it seemed that there might be a chance to end it.

"I wasn't intending to end up here; I just did. Miriam and her husband proved too much for me to handle," he smirked, trying to let Will know he was attempting to have a normal conversation.

The psychiatrist grinned in response, his shoulders becoming somewhat less tensed. Apparently, he had no desire to make things harder than they had to be either, which was a good things.

Taking a chance, Nikola gestured towards a table close by. If Will was willing to raise the white flag, so was he. He thought he might quite enjoy Will's company should the man allow him close enough, and Helen would appreciate the effort on both sides.

"I wasn't sure I could have handled it any longer than I did, either. I'm normally very patience, but…" his voice trailed off.

It was all Nikola needed to hear. Will was doing a hell of a lot more than raising the white flag here. He was doing something akin to confiding in the vampire. It made Nikola feel warm inside to realize that.

"It happens to the best of us," Nikola said.

They fell silent for a few minutes then, but where before this sort of silence would have been difficult, it was more companionable now than it had ever been. Eventually, though, Will spoke again.

"Tesla, I'm… I'm sorry for not giving you a chance before. I just…" Will failed to find the words to continue that sentence.

Luckily, Nikola had a pretty good idea of what he had been about to say, and so he took the liberty to finish it for him.

"You were scared that this time, my hidden agenda would hurt Helen. Emotionally. You wanted to protect her, even though you know she can take care of herself. And that she can deal with me," he said.

"Yeah, something like that," Will sheepishly admitted. "She'd been through a lot right before you two got together, and I didn't want her to have to deal with any more trouble. Least of all trouble of the heart."

Will breathed in deeply a few times, obviously calming his nerves at being this open towards the vampire. Nikola gave him the time he needed, knowing the conversation would go more smoothly that way.

"It wasn't until the day Kate convinced us to play games the entire afternoon that I realized I was wrong. When she told me she had played in the snow, I caught her looking at you. I knew she was telling me the truth, albeit only part of it. And I saw how happy she was. The way you held her hand under the table. I wish I had told you all of this sooner, but I couldn't. I didn't know how," Will said, casting down his eyes.

Nikola clasped Will's wrist, drawing the psychiatrists attention back to him. There was surprise in Will's eyes, but only the smallest amount of fear. Apparently, he was more awed by the realization they had never touched each other before than he was scared by Nikola being a vampire.

"I am glad you tried to protect Helen. Heaven knows I won't be with her at all times. We will be separated every now and again, be it because of her work or mine. It's good to know someone will be keeping an eye on her in my stead when I'm not there to do it," Nikola confessed.

Will smiled at that, turning his arm so he could gently touch Nikola's wrist in turn.

"I promise I will make sure she's safe. As safe as can be expected in this line of work, at least. And I hope we'll be able to forge a bit of a friendship as well," Will said.

"Well, you're not really afraid of me anymore. And I haven't made a run for it just yet. That's a good beginning," Nikola grinned, forcing the last of the tension that had lingered in the room out.

Both men released the other's wrist simultaneously, feeling that there was no need to keep toeing the newly set-up border. But they also knew that Will's vision of friendship might be closer than they had dared to dream possible mere hours before.

That evening, Helen hugged Nikola to her chest so tightly he thought he might actually suffocate when he told her about his conversation with her protégé. Yet the smile on her face when she finally let go of him was worth all the discomfort in the world.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Here is the fourth chapter, dear readers! I hope you'll enjoy reading it as much as I liked writing it. But even if you didn't, please drop me a review to tell me why. That way I can improve my writing. Constructive criticism is greatly appreciated.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. Else, there would be more seasons of Sanctuary.**

**4**

Helen was awoken by the sound of the front door bell. The only thing keeping her from sitting up straight away was Nikola's body pressed firmly against hers. She was tempted to ignore the buzzing sound and go back to sleep.

She really had no desire to move out of his strong arms. She was warm, comfortable, safe. But she knew she had to. There was someone, Abnormal or Normal, on her doorstep. And this creature needed a place to stay, protection or medical attention. Perhaps even all three of those things.

The floor was cold beneath her feet when she swung her legs out of bed. Without having to be asked, Nikola did the same. Yet his actions mirrored hers only in part; he forewent the bathrobe and the gun laying on his bedside table.

Helen tucked her own gun in the waistband of her pajama bottoms. Nikola cocked an eyebrow at her when he saw her slide a clip of live ammunition into the pocked of her bathrobe; she usually favored the stunners her gun was loaded with, or tranquilizers.

"There's no harm in being prepared," she shrugged, moving towards the door.

"I agree. I take it you weren't expecting any visitors, then?" he asked, falling into step beside her as they exited her bedroom.

She shook her head as she turned the corner, the flight of stairs that would lead them to the front door level coming into view.

"I was not. Declan hasn't called to arrange any creature to be sent here. Nor have any of the other Heads. I have no reports of Abnormals travelling my way. Then again, that doesn't mean there aren't, does it?" she asked.

Nikola had a point, though. It was unusual for anyone to turn up on her doorstep in the dead of nights, it happened only a few times a year. The only one to really do that was Nikola, who arrived whenever he saw fit. And before, James. Declan had not yet dared to do so, but she knew it would only be a matter of time.

"You're right, of course. Would you like for me to rouse Henry so he can make sure there is a place available for whoever or whatever is begging entrance to our home?" he asked her.

She beamed at his use of the words 'our home'. It wasn't easy for her vampire to settle anywhere, but it seemed that he had managed to do just that here in her Sanctuary. It made her heart flutter to think she was a large part of that, had been for four and a half months now.

"No, let him sleep. He's been running himself ragged trying to combine keeping his relationship with Erika intact despite the distance and doing his job. He deserves a break. Kate's rooms are connected as well, as are Will's. They'll be heading for the front door as we speak," she assured him.

She saw Nikola visibly relax at those words. He was protective of her, always had been. She found it rather sweet, despite the fact it really wasn't necessary; she could fight her own battles. And the creatures that sought her out usually did so because they knew she would help them in whatever way she could, treat them with respect. They did not normally come armed or aggressive.

Suddenly, she heard two sets of feet approaching them. Looking behind her, she saw Kate and Will appear from the hallway they had just passed by. Kate was carrying her gun in the same way Helen was, and she hadn't bothered to hide the knife strapped to her thigh; Will was holding a gun as well, though he was wearing it in his holster instead of his hand.

"I'm guessing this doesn't happen a lot. I mean, I've been here for five months and this is the first time it's happened so far," Kate said.

Helen didn't have to look at Will's face to know he was trying not to laugh out loud.

"There are times we have to get up more than once during the night. And then there's periods where no Abnormals seek us out while the moon is in the sky. You're right, it's a rare occurrence, but when an Abnormal arrives here in the dead of night, they don't usually come alone and it's all hands on deck. You've just been lucky up until now," Will grinned.

Kate moaned in something close to despair; it was obvious getting out of bed to do the midnight or two in the morning feedings was more than enough in her opinion. Helen decided that this was not the time to point out that nights of little sleep were a regular occurrence during missions.

She did, however, gesture for them to be quiet when the heavy wooden doors came into view. Nikola and the other two stood at a distance as she went to unlock it, swinging it open as soon as she was able.

What greeted her as soon as the light fell across the figure on the doorstep was her worst nightmare. John Druitt was standing there, a dark leather jacket and trousers making him look so much like he had the last time they had met.

Helen backed away. It must have all happened in seconds, because Nikola's vampiric growl reached her ears as soon as she did. Both Will and Kate removed the safety from their gun.

"You have some nerve, turning up here," Nikola growled lowly, stepping in between Helen and John. She immediately pulled him against her chest as he did. It was not an attempt to restrain him, but rather to keep him close in case John tried to hurt her.

"As do you, turning under Helen's roof," John clacked.

Instinctively, Helen took the vampire's hand and made to link her fingers with Nikola's. Immediately, the claws of his one hand retracted to make sure she wouldn't be hurt before coming back out as soon as he was certain it was safe. It still amazed her after all these years to see how much control he had over his abilities.

Will and Kate also approached now. The younger man scowled at John, taking his place at Nikola's side as Kate took position at Helen's. She tapped the younger woman's wrist once, telling her how grateful she was without speaking.

"I'd take a turned Nikola Tesla over having to deal with you every day of the week. As would Magnus, no doubt," Will said, voice low and even despite the meaning of the words.

"He's right," she managed to say without having her voice break or waver, albeit after about half a minute had passed. "And you well know it, John. I was none too kind to you when we last met. Why are you here? And tell me the truth, for once," she added, her voice demanding.

John attempted to step into the hallway, but Nikola's hand shot out to forcefully shove him back. Helen watched John facial muscles twitch, his eyes clouded by anger. She moved from behind Nikola, plastering herself to his side and pulling his arm around her waist with some difficulty. Not that he did not want to, it was maneuvering around the claws which Nikola refused to retract after what John had tried that complicated things. As soon as she was settled, she sighed. Here, she was safe.

"I see you've taken a new lover, Helen. Finally managed to get over me?" John drawled, ignoring her question and the order she had given him.

Helen tensed; she was responsible for bringing this onto the other and herself by practically forcing Nikola to embrace her, she was well aware. And she had done so without even the slightest consideration for the consequences.

"That she has," Kate said in answer to John's question. "And I hate to break it to you, but despite me not believing in true love and all that, I think they're made for each other. So fuck the hell off, Druitt."

It was harsh, low and everything Helen wished she could have said herself. Nikola seemed to agree, because he carefully touched Kate's hand before returning his fingers to touch Helen again.

"Does it surprise you?" she finally managed to utter, barely loud enough to be heard. "He was there to support me after Ashley's memorial service. He held me while I broke and never treated me any differently. He allowed me to see how much he missed her. He came close enough to see how broken I was and he allowed me to come just as close to him. He loves me, and I love him. It's as simple as that," she said.

As soon as the words left her mouth, she was transported back in time. Images and colours swirled until her thoughts took form.

She was alone. Will had ushered the Big Guy and Henry out as soon as they had laid their mementos in the empty coffin; he knew her well enough to see she wanted to say her goodbye in solitude.

Yet a part of her had hoped one of them would return. The darkness in her heart scared her, and she was unsure she would be able to hold it at bay. She was afraid it would consume her, like the grief over losing his daughter Imogene had consumed Adam Worth. He had been as alone as she was right now.

"Helen?" a soft voice suddenly spoke.

It was Nikola's, she would recognize it anywhere. Hearing it was unexpected, but far from unwelcome. It made her feel rooted in the present, made her heart remember what warmth and love were.

She felt him approach, spurred on by her silence. When she didn't even respond to him being right beside her, he joined her on the floor next to the coffin. Immediately, she curled into him. Her hands fisted his jacket, her face became buried against his shoulder.

"It's alright," he whispered soothingly. "I'm here. I'm not going anywhere. Just let it go."

And she had. She had wept while he held her, her tears soaking his jacket and shirt. He had not moved, simply continuing to whisper comforting words.

"And you're certain he isn't here to bed you until he finds a more interesting girl to pursue?" John taunted, his lips curving maniacally.

"I am," she said, her voice stronger that she imagined it would be when she faced her former fiancé. "I am certain he is not here to solely bed me. Because he hasn't done so yet. Not in the way you mean. He is waiting for me to give him permission. And he's very patient, John. He's already waited a hundred years."

Nikola pressed his face against her neck as he tightened his grip on her for a second, showing his approval. Her hands were on his instantly, holding them in place over her abdomen. His claws were still bent towards John.

The kind gesture apparently angered John even further; he moved forwards again, his long legs putting him close enough to Helen to touch her. Nikola's vampiric strength made his arms tremble as he fought to keep from lashing out; she knew he thought it unsafe with her in his arms.

Henry, however, had no such qualms. The HAP turned up out of nowhere, growling inhumanly before using his Abnormal strength to push John out of the house. The large man barely managed not to fall onto the cold, stone steps.

"Back the hell away from her, dude!" Henry shouted angrily. "She's cared for me practically all my life, now it's my turn to take care of her. Along with these other people who truly care about her. Leave, or I will make certain you do so. Whatever it takes, I'll do it."

Helen was proud of Henry for no longer being scared of his powers. She knew the threat was hollow; Henry was too kind to hurt anyone. But she had no doubt that the vision of his HAP form would be enough to at least knock some sense into John. Or perhaps she should say Jack, as the Ripper seemed to be in control once more.

"John, please. There is nothing left here for you. Go. Attempt to find your peace, try to find a purpose in life again. But do it somewhere far away so I don't have to look over my shoulder whenever I step out of my door. Because I promise I will shoot you again. And this time I won't miss," she said.

To add force to her words, she removed the stunners from her gun and replaced them by the clip of ordinary bullets. John looked straight at her as she took aim, but despite the scrutiny her hand did not tremble enough for him to notice.

Nikola did, however, she could tell by the way he shifted positions ever so slightly; he remained silent, though, which she was grateful for.

"You are right, Helen. Since our daughter died, there has been no reason to visit. No reason to want to visit. Except for you, of course. But that has ended tonight. So really, why should I even attempt to dodge your bullet this time? You have taken away my last reason to live!" he shouted, the anger wafting off of him in waves.

The words stung like a slap to the face; without caring for whatever reaction her actions might trigger in John, she turned and buried her face in Nikola's pajama shirt. She could feel him shifting back to human form, his now clawless hand burying itself in her curls.

"It wasn't Magnus who took away your reasons to live, Druitt. You did that yourself. First when you pushed her away by murdering eight prostitutes, then by refusing to let her help you. And in the end, by forcing her to take drastic measures when it came to your child. Had you even had the slightest bit of decency you would have realized long ago you should never show up in her home."

Will's voice was positively glacial. The softness and kindness had disappeared, even though he wasn't raising his voice at all.

"Are you saying you want me to leave, William? That is not very kind of you. I have not had a decent meal in days, nor a proper bed to sleep in for weeks. It would only be correct to offer a weary man those things. Or am I mistaken?" John asked, the wicked glace not disappearing from his eyes.

"Damn right I am," Will immediately said. "You don't deserve the hospitality Magnus is known for. Go have dinner in a restaurant and keep from murdering anyone; that should do the trick just fine. Oh, and if you want to sleep in a bed tonight, you should try the hotels. It's what other people use them for, spending the night."

Finally, Helen had herself under control enough to turn around in Nikola's arms. Her eyes met John's, making her shudder. Yet she did not avert her gaze. It wouldn't do to show him any more signs of weakness than she already had.

"That's enough," she said. "John, you will leave now. I will not let you harm me or my family any more than you already have. This time, you have gone too far. Hurting me is one thing, hurting people simply for the sake of it is entirely another. Leave my house."

John was not backing away as quickly as she had hoped; the gleam in his eyes told her to be careful, so she watched his every move. At the slightest twitch of his hand she would shoot him; more than once if she had to. The man nearly fed his daughter to an enormous lizard, for god's sake.

Before stepping down from the flight of stairs, John suddenly stopped.

"Are you sure you could stop me from hurting whichever one of you I chose, Helen? Truly? My, you really are bold," he taunted.

And before any of them knew what was happening, a knife sliced through the night sky. Nikola's vampiric reflexes had nothing on the speed of it, it distracted Will and Kate long enough to miss their shot at John. Henry was the one to leap for him first, yet the towering man had already disappeared with a crackle.

The knife sliced through the skin on Helen's arm. She couldn't help yelping at the unexpected feeling, the pain burning with a white-hot intensity. Kate's arms were around her in an instant, thought Nikola's were suddenly gone.

"Sit her down," she heard Will command.

The wound turned out to be a long, relatively deep gash, but it was not deep enough to be very harmful. She shook Kate's hands off, not bothering to sit down; she'd been stabbed and wounded in general often enough to know that while it might look bad there was less damage than Will feared.

"Nikola?" she called, worried that he had let her go now that she was injured. Her fogy brain refused to tell her why he might have done such a thing; her only thought was that she needed him and he wasn't there.

Her only response was a growl. Very much vampiric, very close by and followed by a heavy breath. The fog became less dense at the sound. Her immediate reaction was to push Kate behind her. Will seemed to understand she was on to something, as he retreated to stand beside the younger woman. Henry joined them as well.

"It's alright," she said, slowly approaching Nikola. Her genius was clenching his hands into fists, his claws coming out between each spasm of his fingers.

He retreated when she approached, yet she simply ignored that. It was her blood that was driving Nikola insane, but she was certain he would not harm her.

"No, it's not," he ground out, struggling, his eyes fixed on the blood on her arm.

She was now close enough to touch him. She slowly lifted a hand, which came to rest on his cheek when he did not fight her at all.

"Come inside. I'll give you another dose of your medication. Or if we're pas the point of no return because of the anger and the blood you're smelling, there's always blood to be found. I promise I'll put you in the SHU when it comes to that," she told him, loud enough for the others to hear.

Nikola's chest was still heaving, his eyes were still black and his fangs were still present. Yet his claws retracted, so she took his hand in hers. He was trembling, fearing that even Helen's medicine would not be enough this time.

She led him to her rooms, not caring that the other three standing in front of the door were drilling holes into her back. Nikola needed her, and she would be there for him. If the medication did not work it would get dangerous; she would have to stun the vampire very quickly. And she would have to keep him in the SHU for at least three days after giving him the blood.

But Helen knew the love in Nikola's heart would not let him hurt her. Or the others. And as she watched him out of the corner of her eye, she was certain he would be spending the rest of the night in her bed. After all, his eyes were already human again. It would be a struggle, but they would make it through. They always did.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: And here it is, dear readers, the final chapter of this story! But I have some good news too. I've been thinking about writing a sequel! Drop me a note if you think I should write it. If enough of you think I should, then there'll be a story with a pregnant Helen to come. Constructive criticism is greatly appreciated.**

**Disclaimer: None of the characters are mine. I am only borrowing them.**

**5**

Nikola's heart was fluttering. A few minutes ago, Helen had told him to go to their rooms; she wanted to give him his birthday present. The others had giving him theirs in the morning, but Helen had claimed hers was of a personal nature; something none of the others would grasp the meaning of and that they should share in private.

Will had cocked his head, Henry had shrugged, Kate had decided she didn't know what to do and the Big Guy had told them it sounded like a wonderful idea to do something together on a day like this.

The memory made him gaze at the gifts neatly placed on top of the dresser. Henry had filled a beautiful leather-bound book with pictures of Nikola, Helen, Will, Kate and Ashley. Every one of them had written their names onto an otherwise empty page, except for Ashley. Henry had glued one of her childhood drawings to the page instead, with her name written beneath it in Helen's handwriting. In her own hand, she had attempted to write 'for mommy'. There were pages left for other pictures to be added, which Nikola would be certain to do.

Kate had bought him an enormous map showing the entire earth. On it, she had pinned tiny squares. A little shy, she had admitted that she had heard him and Helen talk about journeys they wanted to make. She had added a few of her own to the list and had highlighted them on the map. That way, they might use it to decide where to go when they found the time to travel together. He had embraced her as he had done with Henry, and she had laughed at that.

Will had bought him a bottle of Malmsey wine. It was a wine that most people paid little attention too, no more than to any other wine, but which he happened to find one of the best there were. Will had also received a hug, and a whispered 'thank you'.

Nikola was pulled out of his memories when the door swung open and Helen finally entered the room. She was carrying what appeared to be a box wrapped in gift paper, her chin resting on top of it.

His curiosity was very much peaked. In the century he had known her, she had always come up with interesting, pleasant gifts. Every year, he was surprised by her inventiveness. And now that they had been together for eight months and she was refusing to give him this present in front of the others, it was likely to be even more exhilarating than any of the ones he'd received before.

He accepted the present when she extended it to him, shaking it as soon as he had the chance. She smiled at his antics, but he was too distracted by the fact he couldn't hear a thing to notice.

"I hope you'll like it," Helen said softly.

Nikola did not need any more encouragement. He untied the bow on top of the paper and began to fight the tape at the sides within seconds. Using his claws made things a lot easier on him, as the paper fell away in less than half a minute.

On his lap sat an oak chest. The words 'Sub Rosa' were carved into the wood, beneath a beautifully engraved rose. He knew these words to mean 'beneath the rose', and the meaning of the words wasn't lost on him; the Romans had used these words to indicate something was a secret. Something said beneath the rose would never be heard by anyone else than those present at that very time. This was Helen telling him to keep whatever was in the box between them.

Taking one deep breath, he opened the lid. Inside were two dark blue strands of something like silk. Another band, this one black, was also there. Beside them was a single, large white feather.

"I remember you telling me that you had always wanted to tie me up. I must admit I rather like the idea. I chose the fabric because it won't leave marks as easily as ropes or handcuffs. The blindfold and feather I added because I know tying me up couldn't possibly be your only fantasy. Happy birthday," she said, smiling.

Nikola's breath caught in his throat for a fraction of a second. This was more than he could have ever hoped for.

"You are the sexiest, most intelligent and powerful woman the world has ever known," he said, capturing her lips with his in a searing kiss.

His hand tangled in her hair, pulling it lightly to separate them when the need for air became too big to ignore any longer. Every other part of their bodies, however, stayed molded together.

"I can't argue with that," she said in answer to his previous words, a wicked smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.

The sight of her made him grow hard. The small motions she made with her pelvis told him she was very aware of the effect she was having on him.

"Are you sure? You don't have to do this. We have all the time in the world," he murmured, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

She brought his hand down from her cheek to one of her breasts. Through the material of her bra and blouse, he could feel her nipple had already hardened.

"I've been fantasizing about being at your mercy since I woke up this morning. I am more than ready to find out what it's really like. And I know you are too," she smiled knowingly.

It was all he needed to hear. He wanted to say so many things to her, thank her for the chance she was giving him. She really was the keeper of his heart, and would be until they died. If they ever died. After all, he was a vampire and she seemed to have a lifespan that was unlimited as well.

"Come here," he said, tugging her with him towards the bed.

Nikola took a hold of the strand of silk, contemplating whether or not to add the blindfold. He decided against it in the end; Helen had always been one to be in control. John had beaten that out of her. To take away her sight would, at this moment, not make the experience any more pleasurable. He wanted to make her feel, make her focus on the feelings he was creating in her and nothing else. That was the only reason he wanted to tie her up so badly. It really had nothing to do with control. The blindfold would serve it purpose eventually, but not yet.

He approached her slowly, catching her hands in his. He settled on the bed with her, making sure she was looking right into his eyes as he spoke.

"You tell me the second you start to feel uncomfortable, alright? We're only taking this as far as you want it to go. Do you have a word in mind to serve as a tell?" he asked.

They might not be doing anything dangerous, but he wanted to make sure she knew she had all the power. Helen nodded her head.

"Blue," she told him.

It was her favourite colour, he knew. He was pleased with her choice. She would remember the word no matter what, and so would he. He nodded in agreement before pushing her down onto the bed gently.

With tender hands he unbuttoned her blouse, his fingers reverently dancing along the skin he revealed. As soon as his hands unfastened her bra, he pressed his lips to each of her breasts, earning him a small hitch in her breath. Her pants and underwear soon landed on the ground with the rest of her clothing.

Her hair fanned out around her as she rested her head on the pillow. Nikola pressed his lips to her shoulder as he guided one of her hands up towards her headboard, tying it securely without it being painful. The other hand was offered the same treatment, only this time he kissed her lips. The kiss was deeper than the one they'd shared before, a promise of what was to come.

"You look absolutely stunning," he sighed against her lips when they broke apart.

He ran his hand down her side, his thumb tracing the underside of one of her breasts in passing. She lifted her torso slightly to prolong the contact.

"I can't quite judge your appearance. You're still clothed," she eventually managed to say.

Without responding, Nikola rose from the bed. Slowly, he unbuttoned his shirt. His fingers circled his nipples before he threw it to the floor. His pants were unbuckled and shimmied off faster than he had ever done before. His underwear completed the pile.

"Marvelous," she swallowed thickly.

"Thank you, love," he said, walking towards her again.

His hands came to rest on her alabaster legs, his fingers tracing intricate patterns on them from her ankles to her knees. She squirmed slightly, goose bumps appearing on her flesh. She allowed her legs to fall further apart at the gentle nudge he gave her. It pleased him, so he kissed the inside of her thighs to tell her that.

Helen lifted her hips a little at that, making him smile; he wanted to make her fall apart, make her feel better than she had in a long time. And she was letting him, which was all he could have bargained for.

"Relax," he told her. "Just let yourself feel."

He continued his path upward, now suckling on her nipples, scraping his teeth along the sensitive nubs every now and then. Helen tugged at the bonds a little as she raised her chest, biting her bottom lip to keep from moaning.

"Stop fighting it, love. I want to hear you, every sound you make," he admitted, beginning to descend again.

He swirled his tongue around her belly button, making her squirm and chuckle throatily. His fingers dug more firmly into her hips as he kissed his way over to her inner thighs, holding her down more firmly but without it being painful.

It was a good thing he had anticipated her reaction, because when he focused his electrical abilities on her, it wasn't just the electricity that made her muscles jolt. Her eyes widened and she tried to grab a hold of her restrains, which was impossible.

"God…" she breathed, her eyes incredibly dark because of her dilated pupils and her arousal.

"Like that, do you?" he grinned, knowing he looked like the cat that got the cream.

"You know I do. You always turn me on when you use your abilities. Especially if you focus that prickling electricity on my nerve endings when they're already hyper-sensitive," she admitted.

He stored that knowledge away for later use. Helen needed to discover surrendering wasn't something that caused pain every time. In fact, he was pretty sure he would like to surrender to her once, let her tie him up.

He was by now very hard, the struggle to not act on his own desires was beginning to grow rather difficult. But he was determined to focus on Helen first; despite what the world believed, Nikola Tesla was in fact a real gentleman in the bedroom. Well, most of the time at least.

Not that he needed to worry Helen wasn't ready for him. When his fingers forayed further, he found her more than a little wet. Her strangled moan also told him his plan of making her beg for him would play out just fine.

He brought his tongue into the mix then, tasting her, moving over and around the small bundle of nerves between her labia.

"O… Oh… Dear lord…" she said, the words separated by breathy silences.

Nikola slid one finger into her body, curving it lightly. She immediately tried to make him move , but he was still pressing her into the mattress with one arm. That made it more difficult for her to succeed.

"Tell me what you want, Helen," he whispered, replacing his tongue with his thumb.

"For you to… do something. Anything," she groaned, distracted by his antics.

Helen always was impatient. It was one of the first things he noticed about her, right after he'd realized she was the most stunning woman on the planet. And not a day had gone by during their years in Oxford that he hasn't pointed out she was impatient, or that he hadn't brought that impatience out in her.

He wasn't about to completely deny her that which she was after, though, even if he did want to get her a little more impatient that she already was. So he slid a second finger into her.

Helen arched her back as far as she could, attempting to get more friction going. She wasn't succeeding, though, which made her grumble in the back of her throat. Her muscles were starting to quiver around his fingers, which made him move them a little faster than before.

"Nikola… Not enough.. Want… Need… you," she panted, moving with every motion he made to prolong the contact.

It was Nikola's turn to growl now. The words went straight to his groin, making the fire burn even more intensely. He had one last demand before he would give her what she wanted, though, and he was certain she would comply.

"Ask nicely," he purred, leaning his body close to hers so his breath ghosted over her ear as he spoke.

Helen's muscles definitely contracted around his finger then, a moan leaving her lips. She opened her eyes, obviously with great difficulty. The trust he saw there, mixed with desire and love, was breathtaking.

"Please, Nikola… I need you," she said, the sentences separated by a pause of unnatural length.

"Then you shall have me," he said, removing his fingers.

Her groan at the loss was one of discontent. He ignored it rather impolitely to reach over to the nightstand at his right. Helen's voice suddenly rang through the air again, less breathy now that he wasn't assaulting her senses.

"If you're looking for a condom, you don't have to wear one. We're both clean, and we talked about children. You know that if you want for us to have them, I'm okay with that. More than okay," she said.

He did remember the conversation. They'd had it a few weeks back, sitting by Ashley's coffin. Helen had explained that she'd never thought she'd want another child, especially after the Cabal had killed her daughter. But she'd said that she had realized that she did want children with Nikola, if he wanted them. She'd said that if they'd gotten together sooner, Ashley might have had a younger brother or sister already. Nikola had admitted that he wanted children as well and that the only reason he didn't have any yet was because he only wanted them with her.

They'd so far been careful, though. They'd used condoms every time they made love. This was actually the first time Helen was suggesting they truly take the first steps to having a baby.

He kissed her, settling over her. His body covered hers perfectly, molding to it as if they were made for each other. And maybe they were. Nikola wasn't religious at all, but at times like these he was tempted to believe there light be a higher power after all.

"All right. But don't blame me for the weight gain and morning sickness when we manage to create a little one today," he teased, brushing the hair from her forehead.

"That's a woman's prerogative, darling. But don't worry; I know it'll all be worth it, crazy feelings and morning sickness and all," she said, smiling.

Nikola caught her lips in a fiery kiss as he positioned himself at her entrance. He pressed in in one smooth stroke, his breath catching in his throat at the sensation.

Helen brought her legs up around his waist, pulling him in even deeper. Finally breaking the kiss, he set a slow and steady rhythm. Helen met him thrust for thrust, raking her nails over his back every so often.

"Please, Nikola… I'm close… Need…" Helen said, her sentence remaining unfinished as she lost the fight against the passion clouding her mind.

Nikola knew what she needed. Without needing to hear any more, he slid his hand between their bodies and between her labia.

Helen murmured her name as she fell over the edge, her release triggering his own. He followed her mere seconds later, a guttural groan torn from his throat as he did.

They lay there for a few minutes, sweaty and panting. Nikola one arm was over his head and the other was slung over Helen's waist. Fortunately, he recovered quickly and was able to untie her; it wouldn't have been comfortable for her to stay in that position much longer. She was too limp to move, though, so he guided her head onto his chest and pulled her close.

"If we ever manage to creature our own little miracle, I want the baby to have your hair. I've always liked your hair," she suddenly mumbled.

Nikola smiled; he'd soon discovered Helen liked pillow talk and wasn't afraid to touch any subject right after sex. Apparently, they would be talking about their future child today. And he was fine with that.

"Really? I'll remember that. I want the baby to have your eyes. Your eyes are gorgeous," he told her, resting his chin on her head.

She snuggled further into him, her hand coming to rest on his hip. Nikola had never been one to cuddle up after making love, mainly because he hadn't been in love with anyone but Helen for more than a hundred years. With her, though, he wouldn't have it any other way.

"I want the baby to have your determination to get the job done. It will make his or her life easier," she said.

He grinned. It was probably the worst kept secret that Nikola was Helen's go to guy when she needed to get a difficult job done. And intelligent as he may be, the reason for that was that he simply couldn't give up. Once he started something, he needed to finish it. No matter what it tool.

"I want our baby to have your big heart. That way he or she won't push people away like I've done for most of my life," he said.

Nikola wanted his child to be a decent person who showed people respect and treated them correctly, who managed to show the people around him how much they meant to him. He had never been good at it, and it had cost him more than a few decades he could have spent with Helen.

"I want out baby to have your powers," Helen confessed.

Nikola was only prevented from sitting bold upright by the fact his naked partner was still firmly attached to him and wasn't budging.

"Helen?" he asked, knowing she would understand what he wanted to say.

She shifted position again, now leaning on him in way that made it possible for her to look him in the eye as she spoke.

"It's nothing to do with them being immortal in every respect if those genes turn out to have risen to the top without using Source Blood," she began to explain. Nikola listened carefully. "I want our baby to have your powers because then you won't be the only Sanguine Vampiris left on the planet. Because then maybe you'll see your race reborn. And technically I am vampire for a small part, so maybe that has something to do with it."

He kissed her then, unable to speak. She'd always known how much he loathed being the only vampire left, not having anyone who truly understood the bloodlust and fear the changes brought with it the first time. And now, her love for him was strong enough to make her risk having a little vampire herself, because she wanted to have his babies. He couldn't believe he was that lucky.

She yawned and the moment was broken. He pressed a kiss to her head and pulled her down again.

"Rest," he told her.

And Helen does just that, her eyes closing as soon as her head was on his chest once more. Nikola smiled as he realized he really couldn't be more happy. He had a future to look forward to, Helen to love and be loved by and maybe one day there would be a little one to raise.

Yes, Nikola thought that life looked great. And with that thought in his head, he too drifted off to sleep.


End file.
